Tips for a Successful Road Trip with Kids

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post with Entenmann’s Little Bites. All opinions and experiences are my own.

This past summer my husband and I decided our kids were finally ready to take the 10-13 hour car ride from NYC to South Carolina. In our defense, we were in the trenches of the school year when we made the decision, and most likely needed to look forward to more carefree days. We didn’t regret our decision until the last 5 hours coming back home, so all in all I would call it a success. With 3 kids ages 2, 5, and 8, we needed to find ways to keep them all happy and comfortable. Here’s our wisdom on how we made the trip fun and drama free-

Tips for a Successful Road Trip with Kids

Plan plan plan

Even if your plans are flexible, have a game plan. We knew what time we wanted to stop for lunch and loosely planned some bathroom breaks in there too. We had lunch later than anticipated and only had to stop once for the bathroom, but since we planned for it we still had a good idea of our trip timing.

Split up Your Trip

Depending on the length of your trip, consider splitting it up. We decided to stop in Virginia, which is about the 1/2 way mark. We stayed at a gorgeous hotel for under $100 and had access to a swimming pool and food options that the kids would enjoy. It took us about 7 hours to get to Virginia and then the next day we only had 4 hours left to drive to get to our destination. We also packed a small bag for this stop so we wouldn’t have to unpack the entire car. We each had a swimsuit, pajamas, and change of clothes.

Pack plenty of snacks

Even more than you think you need. We took CASES of snacks and still ran out of their favorites on the way back home. Remember, you are planning 2 trips- the way going and the way coming back. We brought some fresh fruit and crunchy veggies that were washed and ready to be eaten, as well as some of their favorite treats like new Entenmann’s® Little Bites®. There’s a new flavor,Cookies & Crème Muffins that you have to try out. They are delicious, and are now the kids’ favorite variety. This usually happens with the limited flavors, so we will be fully stocking up on these!

Don’t forget the meds!

My oldest daughter becomes severely car sick while my little guy can become horribly constipated. We kept these situations in mind when we planned our trip so we packed items that would keep them comfortable- anti-nausea meds for her and a good probiotic for him.

Be Prepared for Everything

My middle daughter may not get car sick or constipated, but she has the bladder the size of a grape. We knew she would ask to stop every 1/2 hour but we got ahead of the game on this one and convinced her to wear disposable training pants. Knowing she could go whenever she needed to keep her anxiety at bay and she didn’t freak out every time she felt a twinge to pee. We only had to stop once on the way to Virginia for a potty break and she had zero accidents.

Take Turns Driving

My husband was a trooper and drove most of the trip, but I tried to give him a break as much as I could. He was able to rest his eyes and regain his sanity for a bit before taking over the wheel again

Have Fun Along the Way

This is a family trip after all, and while our goal was to get to our destination quickly, it didn’t stop us from hitting many east coast travel spots, like Washington DC. We took the kids sightseeing and gave them a bit of a history lesson on the way.
This trip wasn’t as bad as we anticipated, but we felt thoroughly prepared and happy with the end result. If we did anything different it would have been to check out a few more tourist sites along the way.